Our family's inaugural trip during the pandemic: A getaway to the mountains of North Carolina

This was meant to be our year for a bucket-list adventure. My wife and I had meticulously planned an extended break from work to explore Southeast Asia with our kids. However, as the pandemic unfolded, we realized we had to shelve our dream trip to the East for at least another year.

Since the pandemic began, we've primarily stayed put in South Florida, with only a few local road trips that allowed for safe isolation. We scrapped all other travel plans and shifted our focus back to homeownership. With colder weather arriving elsewhere and many travelers eager for Florida's warmth, we chose to escape to Asheville, North Carolina, where crowds were sparse and social distancing came naturally.

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Air travel

After briefly contemplating a road trip, we chose to fly for some refreshing mountain air. I know the chances of catching COVID-19 on a plane are slimmer than being struck by lightning, and the thought of an 11-hour drive with kids felt overwhelming. Thus, we decided that our first flight since the pandemic would be a short one—under two hours—and I would keep an eye on the flight loads a few weeks ahead of our travel date to ensure it wasn’t at full capacity. (We had the flexibility to change our flights if necessary.)

Once we chose the Asheville area as our vacation spot, I started comparing flight options from South Florida. We had only one nonstop flight into Asheville (AVL) on Allegiant from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) or numerous choices to Charlotte via Miami (MIA) on American, which would require a two-hour drive after landing.

In the end, we decided to fly nonstop to Asheville, allowing us to reach our Airbnb earlier. I spent a significant amount of time researching the flight loads to Asheville (AVL) for all available options, and the Allegiant flight was the least booked (under 65% capacity), much less than the busier American flights to Charlotte. Overall, the flight experience was smooth, on time, and we took the necessary precautions to feel safe during the journey.

We booked our Allegiant tickets using Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a rate of 1.25 cents each, thanks to being Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card holders. Those with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® can redeem points even more favorably, at 1.5 cents toward flights. The only downside of using Ultimate Rewards points for Allegiant flights is that tickets cannot be bought online. Luckily, cardholders can call the Chase Travel Center at (866) 951-6592 to use UR points for Allegiant flights, as well as for flights on Gol, Norwegian Air, and Southwest.

Hotel

Eager to experience Asheville's vibrant arts scene and its reputation as a culinary hotspot, we chose to spend our first and only night in Downtown Asheville. Arriving after dark, we wanted to explore the city before heading to our Airbnb in the mountains the following day. I had a Hyatt anniversary award night certificate about to expire, thanks to the World of Hyatt Credit Card, but opportunities to use it had been limited due to the pandemic impacting our travels.

As the only Hyatt hotel in the Asheville area, the Hyatt Place Asheville Downtown, a category 3 hotel, provided good value for our award night, with rates exceeding $150 per night. The hotel is conveniently located off I-240, just a 20-minute drive from the airport. Within a 10-minute walk, you can access the Grove Arcade and a variety of shops, restaurants, and bars.

The rooms are spacious and family-friendly, clean, and feature contemporary decor throughout the hotel. True to the Hyatt Place brand, it offers complimentary breakfast for World of Hyatt members. (Please note that Hyatt Place has adjusted its breakfast offerings during the pandemic.) During our stay, the hotel provided prepackaged egg sandwiches, baked goods, coffee, and other grab-and-go breakfast options. The next morning, we decided to skip the hotel breakfast and enjoy brunch outdoors at one of Asheville's popular restaurants.

Car rental

Since our plan was to spend the first night in Downtown Asheville before retreating to the mountains for the rest of our trip, we needed to rent a car. This was the only expense we decided to pay in cash—despite the option to redeem points for the car rental.

I found the best rates for a midsize vehicle through National, largely due to having a credit card that grants elite status with a rental car company. My Emerald Club Executive status enabled us to choose a full-size car from the Executive area at the reserved midsize rate. We rented directly at the airport, as National is conveniently located on-site, and the small regional airport was incredibly easy to navigate.

Although I booked directly with National, I always take the extra step of entering my confirmation details into AutoSlash after completing an online car rental reservation. AutoSlash monitors rental rates for you, sending immediate email alerts if there’s a price drop or better rates with other companies. You can also use AutoSlash to search for quotes, allowing the site to find lower prices by applying coupons, discount codes, and membership-related discounts.

Airbnb

With popular point hotels hard to come by in the Western North Carolina mountains, and isolation still being a priority, we opted for a lovely Airbnb instead of a hotel for our extended stay. Our goal was to find a peaceful, charming cabin in the mountains, within an hour's drive of Asheville. We ultimately chose a wooden cabin near Lake Lure, featuring a treehouse with electricity, a movie room, an outdoor fire pit, and a Ping-Pong table. Best of all, while we had neighbors on either side, we enjoyed complete privacy.

Since Airbnb doesn’t yet have a loyalty program or a cobranded travel card, we charged the cabin rental to our favorite fixed-value credit card: the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Because Airbnb is categorized as a travel merchant with Capital One, we were able to redeem Venture miles to offset the cost of our Airbnb. This helped reduce our cabin expenses and gave us extra cash for food and entertainment.

After securing your ideal home rental, it's wise to ensure you're maximizing the value of your stay by paying with the right credit card. This way, you'll earn bonus points or miles on travel purchases, which you can use for future travels—including your next Airbnb, flight, or hotel stay.

In addition to the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (2x miles), some of our top travel rewards cards include the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (3x points) and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (2x points).

Final thoughts

A much-needed getaway to the Western Carolina mountains was exactly what my family required after eight months of being cooped up at home, managing work and remote schooling. A little planning made all the difference in ensuring we felt safe and ready to travel.

Whenever you're prepared to travel again, be sure to have all your safety essentials on hand (face masks, hand sanitizers, and disinfecting wipes), and review your flight and accommodation plans in advance to make any necessary adjustments.